Wrench



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THOMSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,867, dated April 25, 1882,

Application filed March 15, 1852. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

' Beit known that I, JOHN Tnomson, of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'renches, which improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to screw-wrenches of that class commonly termed and known as monkey-wrenches, in which the adjustingscrew'is stationary and operates in a nut formed in the front of the sliding jaw; and my improvement consists in such a construction that the screw may be readily disengaged from the nut without changing the normal position of the hand while operating, whereby the adjustable jaw may be quickly changed from one position to another by the disengaged hand of the operator or the jaw be allowed to drop, as desired, by simply inclining the wrench, when the screw is again allowed to resume its posi tion, either to lock. the jaw or for use in ordinary manner.

In previousin'ventionsrelatinghereto the uniform method ofapplyingthe disengagingmechanism is to the movable jaw. Thus the hand must follow thejaw in making adjustment or the position of the wrench be changed in the hand of the operator. It is the aim of my invention to obviate this objection, and, furthermore, to so apply the necessary means that no radical change shall be necessary in the regular manufacture of the class of wrenches described, and to add but little, if any, to the cost of the product.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an upright side elevation of a common form of monkey-wrench, portions being shown as cut away to more clearly show my improvement. Fig. 2 is an upright cross-section on line 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is aface view of a portion of shank with spring.

In Fig. 1, 5 is the ferrule, forming an end bearing for screw 6. 7 is the adjustable jaw, in which is formed the nut for screw. 8 is the shank, and 9 the rigid jaw.

The ordinary method of operation requires no description.

My device in its construction and operation is as follows:

The face of shank is firstrecessed, 10, Figs.

1 and 3, and a common tongue-spring, 11, is

of the end bearing in the ferrule, and that the screw may be rotated by the milled head 16 adjusting the jaw 7-as if-no alteration had been madeas in ordinary practice, and securing the jaw against thrust. Suppose it desirable, however, to make a quick and extreme change in the position of the movable jaw. Simply press sharply upon the milled head with the thumb in the direction of the shank, as indicated by the arrow 17, when the screw will be forced inward upon the shank and detached from its bearing in the semicircular thread of the nut, thus leaving the jaw 7 free to be slid back or forth to any desired position upon the shank. Now relieve the pressure of the thumb upon the milled head and the spring will instantly force the screw back to its normal position, as shown in the figure.

The adjustment of the movable jaw may either be made by the disengaged hand or by simply inclining the wrench up or down, as the case maybe. Thejaw will gravitate to at least approximate the desired position upon the shank, when any further adjustment for close work may be effected by rotating the screw.

In the formation of the threads of the screw and nut that construction similar to a ratchettooth will readily suggest itself as being best adapted for the purpose herein described, the face of the thread receiving the thrust being at a right angle to the axis of the screw. A square or nearly square shaped thread, however, operates satisfactorily.

For economy of space the spring, as described, is let into the face of shank; but when secured thereto by a pin or screw, as 18, said spring may be attached to the face of shank without being recessed. The spring may be applied as shown in Fig. 3, in which the projecting heels 19 of the springjust fill the space between the sides, but are a trifle less in thickness than the depth of the recess. The sides of the walls of the recess are then simply riveted over the spring, as shown, 20.:

As will readily be apprehended, any form of spring will answer for the described purpose, although the style shown is considered preferable.

To recapitulate: The only changes necessary to apply my invention in a wrench ot' the style shown and described are that the end bearing of screw be slotted or formed to permit a vibratin g or lateral motion and the removal of a portion of the thread forming the nut, while to the component parts but one is added--the spring 11.

What I claim is- 1. In an adjustable screw or monkey wrench in which the movement of the sliding jaw is effected without changing the position of the hand during the rotation of the operatingscrew, the COlllblflHllOIlOf the semicircular nut,

as 13, screw, as 6, slotted end hearing, as 15, and spring, as 11, for the purpose of permitting the depression and detachment of said screw from the movable jaw, whereby said jaw may be quickly slid or allowed to gravitate to any position on the shank, the screw being afterward used to lock thejaw, as in the ordinary manner.

2; In an adjustable screw or monkey wrench in which the movement of the slidingjaw is effected without changing the position of the hand during the rotation of the operatingscrew, the combination, with the rigid jaw, as 9, shank, as S, sliding jaw, as 7, semicircular nut, as 13, screw, as 6, and slotted end bearing, as 15, of a spring, as 11, for the purpose specified.

JOHN THOMSON.

Witnesses: 1 LYMAN H. Essex, ROBERT K. PoWERs. 

